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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has asked residents and election observers accusing vote-buying in Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election to provide verifiable evidence to support their claim
The demand follows a viral photograph shared on social media showing police officers at a polling unit in Ikere Local Government Area, prompting allegations that security personnel were involved in electoral malpractice.
The image, posted by Arise News anchor Oseni Rufai, showed two policewomen near an open ballot area, accompanied by claims that they were “helping with vote buying.”
In a statement posted on Sunday on his X handle, the NPF’s New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, dismissed the claims, saying the officers were on official duty.
“Allegations of vote buying are serious and should not be based solely on a photograph. The image shows police officers at a polling unit carrying out their constitutional duty of maintaining security.”
He added that any allegation of wrongdoing should be properly substantiated.
“If there is evidence that any officer aided electoral malpractice, such evidence should be presented for investigation. Facts strengthen democracy and assumptions weaken it.”
Giwa’s post came after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election.
He secured 319,224 votes, ahead of Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) across all 16 local government areas of the state.
Allegations of vote buying are serious and should not be based solely on a photograph.
The image shows police officers at a polling unit carrying out their constitutional duty of maintaining security. If there is evidence that any officer aided electoral malpractice, such… https://t.co/NwPf0nHoVU
— Aliyu Giwa (@aleeygiwa) June 21, 2026
